Not An Innocent
by Reion
Summary: When the CO's take in a girl who claims she's an innocent, things go amis, and Chris finds himself fighting for his very life! Complete!
1. p3

Hey guys, this is sorta a rushed project for me. I wrote it all in a day. Sorry if it sucks lol Takes place directly after 'Spin City,' which for those of you that don't know is the episode when Piper and Leo find out that Chris is their son and Chris turns into that spider... thing. I'll be keeping my authors notes to a minimum until the last chapter so well until then enjoy the story!

Not An Innocent

Piper sat in the corner of P3, mulling over the events of the last few days. She had been turned into a human cocoon, Chris had nearly transformed into some sort of spider, and Leo had almost been beaten to death by Chris in a fit of rage. That was the 'normal' things. She was used to the 'normal' things. What she wasn't used to was the knowledge that Chris, her overly pushy, slightly aggravating and by all accounts neurotic whitelighter from the future was in fact her son.

Rubbing her tired eyes she stood up slowly, being weary of her now bulging stomach, and walked over to the door to lock up. She had come to the club to see if Chris was here, but all she found was an empty room, and by empty, she meant empty. Besides for a few scribbled notes about future leads on who could have turned Wyatt, some worn out pairs of cloths, and a tooth brush, there was nothing left in the room.

A thought occurred to Piper just then. She had been under the assumption that he had moved out of the back room and that was the reason there was hardly anything in it, but perhaps, he hadn't moved out and that was all he had been living on. A deep quilt crept over Piper. She had been living in the manor all that time and her own son was living in an empty club, with just a few scrapes of cloths to his name for over a year!

Her quilt would have gone further, had not Paige walked into the club just then. "Paige, what are you doing here?" Piper asked with a bit of surprise.

"Looking for you," Paige answered matter-of-factly.

"Well you found me, how did you know I was here anyway?"

"Please Piper, I think I know you well enough to know what's going on in your head. You came here to see if you'd find Chris."

"How did you—"

Paige interrupted by rolling her eyes, "Piper, you've come here everyday this week. Did you really think your own sisters wouldn't notice?"

Piper sighed, "Alright, fine, so I'm a little obsessive, but he's my son. I mean, I have to talk to him, I need to know why he couldn't tell me or at least mention the fact that I'm now pregnant with him."

"Give him time Piper," Paige said with a comforting smile, "He's probably just as freaked out as you are by all this."

"Yeah I know and that's why I need to find him. We need to talk this out, get everything straight. I mean God, there's so much I want to say to him. I've been so horrible to him ever since he came here, I just need to talk to him, and set everything straight."

Paige sighed slowly, "Well, he'll come to you eventually. He has to, he's our white lighter. I mean, he can't avoid us forever."

"Yeah I know your right," Piper said giving in reluctantly as she locked the clubs doors.

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a trash can hitting the ground. A scream followed soon after. With out hesitating, Piper and Paige ran behind the club into the back alley toward where the noise had been heard.

As they came around the corner they saw a demon standing over a girl in her early twenties, fireball in hand. Paige quickly orbed the fireball away from the demon, while Piper tried to explode him. The demon quickly reformed.

"Not good," Piper yelled backing away from the demon.

"Witch this doesn't concern you!" The demon yelled.

"If you're trying to kill an innocent it does!" Piper fired back.

"She is no innocent." The demon spat, throwing a fireball at Paige, who using her powers sent the fireball back at the demon, hitting him in the shoulder. Piper took this moment of distraction, to quickly help the girl up and carry her out of harms way. As she ran the girl slipped and snagged her pant leg on a piece of glace that had fallen out of one of the up turned trashcans.

Clutching his shoulder, the demon screamed in rage. Pointing towards the girl he snarled, "You may be safe for now, but not for long!" He then shimmers out.

"Well that was interesting," Paige said sarcastically.

"Thank you, thank you so much," the girl cried.

"Are you alright?" Piper asked pointing to the girls pant leg.

"Oh yeah, it just snagged my pants. I'm not hurt don't worry," Seeing that there was no blood, Piper nodded and let it go.

"Why was he after you anyway?" Paige asked.

"I—I saw him kill someone. And now he's after me. I don't know what he wants. I don't even know who he is. How---how did you do all those things? How did you send his fireball back at him?"

Piper and Paige traded a skeptical look, "Magic," Piper finally said, "But that's a whole 'nother story. Right now we need to get you some place safe."

The girl nodded in bewilderment, looking in awe at both Piper and Paige. Her plan was working perfectly.


	2. Back at the Manor

Back at the Manor

The girl sat rigidly on the couch of the charmed ones. Her out side appearance being that of one who was extremely nervous, on the inside, however, she was bubbling with anticipation. These witches were exactly what she had been craving. Their power oozed from them, seeping into every core of her being. She longed for more. To reach out and touch them, engulf them, consume every last drop of their tantalizing power.

Paige's power would prove quite useful in battle, and her whitelighter blood was intoxicating. Phoebe, had a more passive power, but its energy was enough to make her mouth water. And Piper, Piper had not only an active power, but she carried with her a child who held enormous power of its own.

Soon she would have it, soon she would have it all, but for now she needed to gain their trust. The hunt was always the most thrilling when the prey didn't know they were being hunted. They could be manipulated. Played with. Tortured. Then devoured.

"Are you hungry?" Phoebe asked, breaking her concentration.

"Uh—no, thank you." The girl said with a sweet smile. She was a great actor.

"Are you sure, 'cause I could make something for you."

"No, no it's fine."

"Pizza, a sandwich, cookies, Piper makes the best cookies."

"I'm fine."

"Are you su—"

"Phoebe she said she's fine. Shesh, I know you want to make her feel welcome but when she says she's fine she's fine," Paige said with

"Right... sorry"

"So you saw the demon kill someone?" Piper asked changing the subject.

"Uh—yes, yes it was horrible. Three nights ago, I was out fro a walk in the park, and I heard a scream. I—"her voice broke. "He--he sucked the life out of her. He—he killed her. Oh my God and her scream, it was horrible."

Phoebe paused for a moment as if she were studying the girl then reached out and squeezed her hand, "It's alright." Phoebe said gently. She had arrived just minutes earlier after getting a call from Piper. The girl took a moment to compose herself.

"So he's been chasing you ever since?" Piper asked.

The girl nodded.

"Alright, well, I'm going to go check the Book of Shadows, see if there's anything on this guy," Paige said standing up to go walk upstairs.

"Right and I am going to go make some vanquishing potions just in case." Piper said standing up as well.

When both of the sisters left the room, Phoebe smiled uncomfortably at the girl, trying to come up with a conversation starter. "Ok well... what's your name?"

The girl looked up sheepishly, "Claire," she answered softly.

"Claire that's a nice name, how old are you, you look about twenty or so right," the girl nodded, "I actually have a nephew that's around your age. I bet you guys would like each other. He's a bit um, well how should I put this, aggravating at times but..." Claire stopped listening after this point as Phoebe rattled on with her small talk. She smiled.

The witch had no idea what was coming. Slowly, she moved her hand closer to Phoebe, who didn't notice because she was in the middle of one of her stories. Just a little bit closer and she could make her move, it would have to be swift though, just a taste, save the rest for later. The others mustn't know just yet.

Finally she touched her hand to Phoebe's leg. Phoebe stopped talking and looked strangely at Claire. That's right; just keep looking at my face. Just keep—

"Who are you?"

An immense power suddenly came into her senses, full of pain and anguish that she had never sensed before. It felt however, slightly familiar. And then it hit her, the baby. The baby had the same presence only much weaker.

She whirled around to face a boy of a little more then twenty years.

"Chris, you're back!" Phoebe squealed a hint of relief evident in her voice. Phoebe stood up quickly pulling away from Claire and gave Chris a big hug before he could react. "Claire, this is my nephew, Chris, remember, I was just talking about him."

Claire nodded absent mindedly, still gazing at the boy and his power hungrily. Then he spoke again.

"Phoebe, who is this?" His voice had a harshness to it, as if he already did not trust her. Oh the hunt would be a good one indeed.

"--I'm Claire," she said hurriedly, holding out a hand. He eyed it pensively, but did not take it.

"Phoebe, why is she in the house?"

"They saved me that's why," Claire said dramatically, "This, this—demon was chasing me and they saved me with their powers." Chris still looked unconvinced.

"Oh Chris, don't be so up tight. She just needs a safe place to stay for a while, that's all. She didn't even know about magic." Phoebe piped in, "Why are you here anyway? We've been trying to call you ever since last week. Why haven't you come?"

"I've been busy." Chris answered matter-of-factly. Phoebe didn't have to be an empath to read between the lines. Piper. "Look, I just came here to look something up in the Book of Shadows, that's all."

"Chris, honey," Phoebe said, pleading with her eyes, "Say hello to Piper. She's been worried sick about you all this week."

"I will, just not now," Chris said defensively and began to orb out. Phoebe caught him at the last moment and pulled him back. Claire coked her eye brow, a whitelighter too.

"Oh no you don't, you can't keep avoiding her."

"Avoiding who—Chris?" Piper stood in the door way.

"Uh—hi...Piper."

"Chris, we really have to talk." Piper said with a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Mo—Piper, I'll just leave I—"

"Uban, upper class demon, powers fireballs, invisibility, shimmer and –Chris?" Paige said orbing down from upstairs.

"Who's Uban?" Chris asked, desperately changing the subject.

"The guy who attacked her," Paige said gesturing towards Claire.

"Her names Claire," Phoebe cut in.

"Ok, the guy who attacked Claire."

"Right, so did it say how to vanquish him?" Piper asked.

"Yeah there's a recipe for a vanquishing potion in here, looks pretty complicated though."

"Ok, let's get started. Sooner we get this over with the better." Piper said heading towards the kitchen while Paige followed, "I don't want him popping in on us when we're not prepared."

As Phoebe walked past Chris she whispered to him to watch Claire and keep her occupied for a few minutes.

"Phoebe I—"

"Come on Chris, I need to go help make the potions, and she can't be left alone." Phoebe pleaded giving him a knowing look that said volumes.

"Fine." Chris said making a show of his dislike. After Phoebe had left the room Chris turned a stony eye towards Claire, who returned it with a look of innocence.

Chris had a bad feeling about this girl. He remembered a vague reference about a 'Claire' in one of the Charmed Chronicles in the future. He couldn't remember what the reference was about, but he was almost certain that it was bad news. Really bad news. It could just be a coincidence that her name was Claire but he couldn't afford to take that chance. He would defiantly have to keep an eye on this girl. There was more that she was not telling.

"Mind not staring at me," Claire said with a nervous laugh.

Chris walked silently over to where she sat, leaning in to stare directly into the eyes of the girl. "You might have fooled the charmed ones," Chris said in a chilling whisper, "but you're not about to fool me."

"Wha—what are you talking about?" How did he know?

"Playing innocent are we? How cute," Chris mocked before his face turned to a raging stone. Looking directly into Claire's eyes, with a look that could murder, Chris spoke, "Stay away from the charmed ones, or I'll kill you my self."

How—How could he know? Who was he? Who did he think he was threatening her like this? Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, she'd make sure he was the first. Her mask came back up again, "Charmed ones? I—you mean Piper, Paige and Phoebe? I—I don't understand. Please, please don't hurt me."

Chris stood up straight, his eyes cold, giving one last glance at the kitchen door, he orbed out and up to the attic with out another word. Claire's eyes narrowed as he left. Oh yes he would definably be the first.

She turned her head slightly and listened to what the charmed ones were saying in the kitchen. Demon hearing always came in handy.


	3. Kitchen

Kitchen

"So what ingredients do we need?" Piper asked.

Paige handed Piper a long list of ingredients, but then added in a hushed tone, "There's something else."

"What is it now?" Piper said with a groan.

Paige looked over her shoulder at Chris and Claire, "Remember how she said that he 'sucked the life' out of the girl?"

"Yeah," Piper said trading glances with Phoebe.

"Well, this Uban guy doesn't have that power."

"So what are you saying, that Claire lied to us?"

Instead of answering Paige continued, "I looked thru the book to see if there were any demons that had that power and what do I find? Clarithiana, a way powerful demon who sucks not only the life out of her victims but also their powers."

"Wait, wait wait, this is getting too weird," Phoebe cut in, "If Claire is really this 'Clarithiana' that you're talking about why would she tell us that she saw this demon use her power. Wouldn't that give her away? I mean let's not be too quick to judge here. Maybe it's just a coincidence."

"Yeah, a really big one."

"Ok well lets not get ahead of our selves here," Piper said cutting in, "Lets make the potion for this Uban guy, and then figure out a way to vanquish this Clarith-whatever also."

"Already got it," Paige said holding up an even longer list of ingredients.

"This is going to be a looong night," Piper groaned.

Two hours later

Claire sat on the couch bored to death and hungry as hell. The Charmed ones had not spoken much in the last couple of minutes. She was beginning to become curious as to what they were doing.

Suddenly she heard the sound of orbing coming from the kitchen. Growing suspicious she got up from the couch and tip toed to the kitchen door.

"Ok we're finally done, with this Uban guy's potion" Paige said with a sigh, whipping away some loose hairs from across her forehead. "Now what do we do?"

"Clarithiana's vanquishing potion." Piper said with a tired sigh.

"Ugh I'm getting too old for this," Phoebe groaned.

"I know what you mean," Paige answered.

"What's a Clarithiana?" A voice said from behind the sisters. They all whirled around to find Claire standing behind them.

"Oh, uh, hi Claire, what cha doin'?" Piper asked in typical Piper fashion.

"Sorry I was gettin' kind of bored in there," Claire said with an apologetic laugh.

"Oh that's alright, Chris is always boring don't feel bad," Phoebe said with a smile.

"Oh well, he left about two hours ago."

"What!" Phoebe said with a dramatic flare of anger, "Oh that little—CHRIS GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE!" Blue orbs were soon to follow.

"Whoa, now we know who the hard ass aunt is gonna be," Paige whispered to Piper.

"What's the matter?" Chris asked innocently, and then he caught sight of the raving Phoebe.

"You left her in there alone! What were you thinking! A demon could have attacked and she would be defenseless!"

Chris desperately looked at his mother and his aunt for help, "She's kinda right," Paige said.

"Yeah, I have to agree."

"What if a demon—"

"DEMON!" Paige, Piper, and Chris all yelled at the same time.

"What?" Phoebe asked, stopping in mid-lecture. A fire ball went whizzing by her head and then she understood perfectly. Uban was here.

"Now you die Clarithiana," Uban yelled throwing a fireball directly at Claire. Piper froze the fireball in midair.

"Oh my god, he's going to kill me. Oh my god." Claire screamed hiding behind Piper for protection.

"I can't fight with you holding me like that Claire get off."

"NO! HE'LL KILL ME!!!"

"You're going to be fine! Just let us do our job!" Claire only wailed louder.

"ack fine!" Piper said agitated, "CHRIS GET CLAIRE OUT OF HERE!" Piper yelled.

"But Piper—"

"Do it! She's too much of a risk here," Piper said back.

Frowning deeply Chris grabbed hold of Clare's arm forcefully and orbed out. In his hand he held an empty potion bottle.

"And don't leave her again!!!" Phoebe yelled after them.

Another fireball whizzed by their heads, "Vanquishing potions, vanquishing potions." Piper cried. Chucking the potion as fast as she could, Piper hit the demon in the leg.

As he went up in flames, the demon screamed his last words in rage, "WHY DO YOU HELP A DEMON, WITCH!"

After the smoke had cleared Piper sat up very straight, "Demon?? Aw crap you were right Paige," She looked up startled when a heart stopping thought came to mind, "Chris, oh no."


	4. Back where it started

P3

Chris orbed into P3 with Claire by his side. The moment he had touched her he had known it had been a mistake. He had felt his strength pouring out of him. As soon as the orb was complete he stumbled backwards, away from Claire.

"I knew it," he scowled, at the now grinning Claire.

"Yes you did, and I should ask how, boy. Few know me, and live, so how is it that you knew?" Her face was now becoming wrinkled, decrepit, and decidedly an 'evil dower' face.

"None of your business," Chris retorted, getting into a defensive stance.

Enraged Clarithiana hissed, and lunged at her prey. He would pay for his arrogance.

Dodging her blow he used telekinesis to throw her against the wall, shattering the plaster in the process. 'Good it still works,' he thought with relief. He just needed to keep her at bay for a few more minutes! No sooner had he thought this she was back on her feet, and faster then the eye could see she was racing towards him. He was just barely able to dodge the blow, but she had expected this, and had gathered about her a fireball which she then thru at him while he was off balance.

Stumbling backwards, Chris gave a cry of pain, clutching his side where the fireball had struck. This did not look good. How did she become so fast all of the sudden? In his moment of weakness Claire lunged at Chris, pushing him to the ground with a strength that knocked the wind from him. She would have to make this quick. The Charmed Ones would be here soon. Stretching out her hand to his chest while holding him down with the other she began to feed.

A pitch black glow began to emanate from her hand and seep into Chris, but no sooner had the black glow been absorbed into him, then a pure light came from his body and began to seep into her hand. Chris screamed in agony. He felt like his very being was being ripped apart.

Chris tried in vain to TK Clarithina off of him but his power would not work. 'No, not now!' He though as a deep panic began to surface. He tried desperately to orb out, but found he was too weak. Desperately, he grabbed at her hand, trying to pry her off of him, but suddenly he was so weak. His limbs were becoming numb, his thoughts a jumbled mess of pain. In a last effort he kicked out his foot, but he was only rewarded with a harsh slap to the face that made his world swim.

Meanwhile, Clairthinana was in ecstasy. Never had she tasted such a pure and immense power. The raw force of it was overwhelming, and yet she drank it in still. She yearned for all of it. All of this glorious energy. She was so enthralled that she neglected to notice three sourly pissed off witches orb in, one of whom was an easily enraged, power packing, pregnant mother.

Her lust was suddenly interrupted when she was ripped away from Chris by an explosion.

BOOM!

"THAT'S FOR LIEING TO ME!" Piper screamed as she stormed towards the demon attacking her son.

BOOM!!

"THAT'S FOR KILLING ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE KILLED!!!"

BOOM!!!

"**AND THAT'S FOR HURTING MY SON DAMNIT!!!!"**

Now thoroughly bruised by Pipers enraged magic wielding fit, Clairithania stumbled to her feet with an angry snarl. "You can't kill me witch. You still haven't made the vanquishing potion."

"Oh really." Piper said with an equally snarling voice, and with a very satisfied smile, she pulled out her vanquishing potion.

"WHAT!?! HOW CAN THIS BE! YOU HAD'NT MADE IT YET!"

"Correction, you thought we hadn't made it," Paige piped up. Cairithana snarled realizing her error, "You didn't honestly think that it would take us two hours to make a stupid potion did you?" Paige said with a hint of scorn.

"But—how did you know!"

Now it was Phoebe's turn to speak, "Um, hello, empath here. You were packing some serious hunger issues that defiantly weren't human."

"We first knew that something was up when you fell on that piece of glass in the alley, and there was no blood. Only a demon could be pricked and not have any blood." Paige continued.

"So—so the conversation in the kitchen was—"

"A lie, lie, lie," Piper concluded, "Doesn't feel so good now does it!"

"But—why?"

"We needed to make sure that we were right. You're a very good actor you know. We weren't certain until Uban ratted you out."

"That sniveling little—"

"ENOUGH!" Piper screamed, "MY SON IS DIEING OVER THERE! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR OBSENISTIES!" Throwing the potion vial, Clariathana burst into flames and was vanquished.

"Well that was anti-climatic," Paige said, sarcasm clearly evident.

Piper ran over to Chris who lay limp on the ground. Phoebe and Paige were quick to follow.

"Chris, Chris honey, wake up," He made no response. "LEO! LEO! YOUR SON NEEDS YOU!" Piper screamed.

The familiar jingle of orbing filled the club as Leo orbed in, "Wyatt is he---Chris! What happened?"

"Explain later, heal now!" Piper commanded in panic. Chris was slipping away too fast. The potion must have not worked.

Leo quickly laid his hands over Chris's wound and after several tense seconds he had healed it completely.

"Why isn't he waking up?" Piper pleaded in worry.

"The potion must have not worked," Paige said sadly.

"No! Don't you dare tell me that!" Piper yelled.

"Potion? Wha—What happened here?" Leo asked, looking down at the boy he had so many mixed feelings for. Distrust, love, worry, quilt, pain, happiness.

Slowly a groan slipped from Chris' lips. Piper almost lunged at him she was so happy, "Chris! Chris, are you alright? Chris?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes, then closed them when a horrible head ach came rushing over him. Soon it subsided however, and he opened his eyes once more to see his, "Mom?"

"Yes, Chris I'm here."

His brain was foggy. What had happened? Slowly his memories returned. Kitchen, potion, demon, orb, clarithana, attack, pain. "Ugh, did it work?" he asked, sleep heavy on his voice.

"Well, she's vanquished at least, but I'm not sure if the potion worked yet."

Chris nodded in understanding, reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a small potion vial.

"What's that?" Leo asked confused.

"Anti-Binding potion," Chris responded while downing the contents of the vial.

"You bound your powers?" Leo asked, a bit startled.

"Yeah, I didn't want to loose them," Chris responded as if it were second nature. Leo looked to Piper to explain, but instead she only felt Chris' forehead.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Tired but—" Chris moved his hand to TK a chair and to his great relief it work, "oh thank god."

"So the potion did work." Paige said happily.

"Apparently, but it sure left me drained."

"Well, of course, the potion was only meant to bind your powers so she couldn't have them not bind your energy." Paige said with sarcasm.

"We're just glad you're ok Chris," Phoebe said with a happy smile.

"Yeah and damn Piper, you sure kicked ass," Paige added.

"Thank you," Piper said with a smug smile.

"WHAT IS GOING ON????" Leo screamed so that he could finally get everyone's attention.

"Ok well it goes like this:" Paige took a long gasp then began

"We met this girl named Claire who claimed that she was being chased by this demon named Uban. She claimed to be human but we knew differently because when she was cut she didn't bleed meaning she was demon. At the time, it seemed like nothing special but later, when Phoebe was talking to her she sensed a major yearning for food that defiantly was not human."

"When I had asked her about it she said that she wasn't hungry," Phoebe continued, "But I could sense that she was lieing. In fact, her whole story was a big lie, but what I couldn't figure out was why she would be lying."

"By that time we knew that something was up, so we had Chris distract her for a few minutes so we could conclude what we knew. Turns out that she was actually a demon name Clairithana, and she can 'suck your life and your powers' out of you." Paige said, cutting in.

Chris who had been silent for most of the conversation finally spoke up, "I remebred a vauge reference to a Claire that I had read in the future, but I couldn't remember any details. After Phoebe gave me the signal that it was alright for me to leave, I orbed up the attic and did some research to try and find a weakness for this Claire girl."

"Right," Piper said, speaking up then, "Apparently, if he used a binding potion on himself then she wouldn't be able to steal his powers. After we had made the vanquishing potions for both Uban and Clairithana, we cast a silencing spell over the kitchen and called Chris down from the attic so we could discuss our plans and not have her listening in. Against our wishes," She continued with a motherly glare towards Chris, "he drank the potion, claiming that if he needed to orb her out he would not be in danger of loosing his powers."

"Yeah but the only problem was, that in doing so he would have no powers any way. A fact that if he had listened to us, would have saved himself from getting his ass kicked," Paige said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Hey, if I hadn't taken the potion, I'd have been in a lot worse shape then I am in now, be grateful." Chris piped in.

"Yeah whatever," Paige said rolling her eyes at her nephew.

"Anyway," Phoebe said claping her hands together to gather attention again, "Some how Claire heard us and she came in to the kitchen, just narrowly missing Chris orbing out. She made a stink about how Chris had left her and so I called him and gave a very lecture so she wouldn't be suspicious."

"Yeah, good job by the way," Paige said rolling her eyes with a smirk, "you might have over done it a tad bit though."

"You think so?"

"Just a bit."

"SO," Piper said, trying to conclude the conversation as fast as possible so she could get Chris home, "When Uban attacked, Claire demanded that she be orbed out, just like we suspected she would want, and so Chris was forced to orb her out. After we had vanquished Uban we then orbed to P3 because that's where Chris had agreed to orb if need be, I kicked ass, vanquished Clairthana! Chris almost died, you saved him. The end." She gasping dramatically for breath.

Leo stared from face to face speechless for a moment then said, "Ok first of all, why is this sounding like a Matlock case and second of all, why couldn't you just vanquish her in the first place and have done with it?"

The three sisters all stopped where they stood, and looked at each other in surprise. "First question: coincidence, second question: that probably would have been a better idea..." Paige mused.

Leo's eyes bulged in disbelief, "You—I—uh I give up." After checking on Chris again he orbed back 'up there.'

ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO FOLKS! WE'RE WINDING DOWN!!!WOO HOOO!!


	5. Epilogue: Mother and Son

Four days Later

Chris lay across the living room couch, recuperating from the past couple of days. Although Leo was able to heal his wound, he could not give him back the energy he had lost. That part was up to him, and of course Pipers pampering.

Even to this day, Chris still claims that that week he ate enough food to last a life time, not that he was complaining. He hadn't had a home cooked meal in nearly eight years. And it felt so good to have his mother all to himself again. To see her, be able to touch her, to know that she's real.

He had just woken up from a deep sleep when Piper walked into the room with some hot coco, tomato soup (his favorite) a peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich, and a big glass of orange juice.

"Hey Chris, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Better," he responded.

"You should be after all the sleep you've been having!" Piper laughed, "Phoebe and Paige have bets on home many hours you're going to have slept by the end of the week.

"How many am I at now?"

"56 hours in four days."

"Wow that's gotta be a world record or something."

"Yeah probably," Piper responded.

They fell silent for a moment, and the mother and the son shared a moment of awkward peace. "Why couldn't you tell me that you were my son Chris?"

Chris was silent for a moment, beign careful to avoid Pipers stare, but finally he spoke,"Future consequences. I wanted to, believe me but... I just couldn't."

"But aren't you changing the future by just being here?" Piper protested.

"Well... yeah I suppose. But I couldn't risk changing it any more then was necessary. My purpose here is to stop Wyatt from turning, after that everything else will fall into place."

Piper shook her head sadly, "I cant believe I let this happen. Its not far."

"It wasn't your fault Piper, I was the one who chose to take the binding potion, not you."

"No, I'm not talking about that," Piper said shaking her head, "I'm talking about the future. Chris, I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that. I just—I don't know what kind of mother I must have been if I had let one of my boys turn and then have the other pay the price. I just—oh God I'm going to be such a horrible mother. No wonder you didn't tell me, I would have just messed up even more," Piper mumbled in silent agony.

"No," Chris said his eyes soft, "No, Piper that's not true at all. You gave everything for us, but you couldn't stop Wyatt from turning by then. It was too late. No one could. It wasn't your fault," Chris reached out a nervous hand and picked up Pipers. "Piper—eh mom, I wanted to tell you who I was so badly. You don't even know how badly I wanted to. But I just couldn't. You've gotta believe me on this one." Slowly, ever so slowly, the mother and the son embraced, for the first time in eight years.

After several moments, Piper pulled away to arms length, a soft smile written on her lips. She looked Chris up and down, as if to take in every part of him. He was a man. The little child that she had growing inside of her at this very moment was now standing in front of her a full grown man.

Piper reached up and ruffled her sons' hair, like she would do so many times in the future, "I believe you," She said taking a slow sigh, "And I promise I'll make things better this time around. I'll do everything in my power."

"You always have," Chris said nodding slightly.

Feeling the moment become a bit lighter, Piper smiled and patted Chris on the back, saying, "Just, don't keep any major secrets like this from me in the future and maybe I'll let this one slid ok?"

Chris smiled, "Ok."

"Now," Piper said clapping her hands together, "Eat up! You're too skinny!"

"Piper you just fed me like two hours ago!" Chris protested.

Piper gave a mock gasp, "You've gone without food for two whole hours! OH! What kind of mother am I!"

It was by that couch that some well needed mother son bonding occurred. Bonding that would mean the difference between life and death just a few weeks later. But that my friend, is a story for another time.

THE END

Wow I wrote this story in record time it feels. I made some minor changes in the Chapters that had already been posted so you might want to take a look at those. Sorry if my conclusion was a bit cheesy. Well, please review peoples and tell me if this is a golden globe or a trash can tanker lol And as always! Thanks for reading!!!

Ps, oh yeah and somethings wrong with my account. The reviews aren't showing up. Oh well.

Special Thanks to: darcy101 (for telling me the name of the ep and being my first reviewer yey) DrewFullerFan4Life ( I love your pn) MJ Rosemary (here's your more) Lola (AHHH I LOVE CHIRS/DREW FULLER TOO! He's so hot ::drowls::) deathchamberX17, HollyShadow (yup I heard cha) Calen (yup already got the Phoebe thing figured out and no their not stupid you just didn't know the whole story) poke (well if you'v eread this far you know what happens next) Charmedlover (I love charmed its an awesome show haha I love it too) and ashlee (thanks!)

Ok well that's all the special thanks for everyone whose reviewed so far, a day after I first posted lol. I cnat believe I got so many reviews in just one day. I'm honored. Well, I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride, and keep an eye open for a new story I have coming out. Its another Chris based fic (cause we all love him ::drools::) I don't know when I'll post it but just know that it's coming. You can never have to many Chris fics I always say.

Thanks again and Don't get sun burned everyone!!!

reion


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